


Learning to Live

by fluff_and_snippets



Category: Night In The Woods (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-26 10:51:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12555816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fluff_and_snippets/pseuds/fluff_and_snippets
Summary: When nothing is left for Mae in Possum Springs, she looks to leave town. Beatrice Santello was finding that living alone wasn't what she had hoped for. But when they come to live together, will it work out for them?





	1. Pilot - Grounded

Breathe in. Breathe out. Don’t fall into despair. This is what Mae has learned to do when she loses a sense of reality. Of course, it was sparked by sudden anxiety but this time it was because she was heading to her first day at her first job. To not be nervous would be weird. But Mae wouldn’t let some damn shapes ruin it and so she told herself the same words.

Close your eyes. Try to breathe. Feel the ground beneath your feet. It’s still there. The world still turns around. And so she opened her eyes and watched as things morphed back into something more manageable. No longer were the days of panic when everything melded. No longer were the weeks of hiding from the outside world. She had grown up thanks to her friends and now she would take on the world. Now was the time to destroy the walls she’s built around herself.

She took another step forward towards her goals, towards her future, and reminded herself that she was indeed grounded.


	2. Something Good

The knocking at the door was expected, but not at this hour. Bea groaned as she went up to the door of her bright harbor apartment, lighting a cigarette to prepare for the worst. Once again there was knocking at the door as impatience grew.

            “I’m coming!” Bea yelled, wondering why she agreed to this. The memories came back to her, answering her question, as she opened the door to reveal who had been knocking. It was none other than Mae Borowski, her friend from home.

“BeaBea! It’s so good to see you!” Mae exploded, a bit louder she should be. But when has Mae ever had an ounce of self-control. Bea motioned for her to tone it down, not wanting noise complaints the first night she arrived. Of course, they were bound to come but she wanted to avoid it as long as possible.

            “Mae, quiet down, there are people trying to sleep. What are you doing here at this hour anyway? You said you’d be here hours ago.” Blowing a puff of smoke, the crocodile asked her questions with obvious annoyance at the late-night arrival. Mae smiled awkwardly, scratching her fading red hair.

            “Well you see, something came up at the Ham Panther and Dad had to rush in, which meant I had to catch the bus. But I missed the bus and had to wait for the next bus out.” She said this and threw her arms up in the air. “But I’m here now!” Bea sighed and stepped out of the doorway, so Mae could enter and bring her suitcase in. Wheeling in her brownish-grey suitcase she looked upon the room in front of her, taking in whatever details she could in the dim evening light. To the right of the door was the living room area, complete with an L-shaped couch, a loveseat, a coffee table, a shelving unit, and two lamps. In front of her and to the right were the dining area and kitchenette. It wasn’t much, but at least Bea had a place to call her own outside of the hole that was their hometown.

            “I haven’t had the time to get the spare room ready so, for now, you’re going to have to sleep on the couch.” Bea said, bringing Mae back to earth. Bea turned towards the kitchenette and approached the island where there was an ashtray. Putting out her cigarette, she turned to Mae with tired eyes. “Goodnight Mae.” Speaking the last words of the night, Bea turned to the opposite side of the front door where there was a doorway. Mae assumed this was where everything else a normal apartment has is located. She rolled her suitcase to the back of the couch and flipped over it with a swift motion and a soft landing. Stretching herself out, she took off her boots and rolled over.

            “Welcome home Mae.” She said before sleep covered her like a blanket in the winter.

Naturally, Mae woke up at four in the evening. However, this time she didn’t wake up in the comfort of her room. Instead, she found herself in an unfamiliar location, one which seemed oddly bland compared to any of the places she woke up in back home. Getting up and stretching reveals more of her location and her memory aids her. She slept on the couch last night because the spare room wasn’t ready yet. Mae sat there on the couch wondering what to do. Normally she would run off and hang out with Bea, or go to band practice, or shoot the shit with Selmers. Now she didn’t know what to do with herself. On one hand she could go out and explore the town, but on the other hand, she knew Bea would be back from work soon. Opting to wait, Mae laid back and watched the sky outside through the window. Eventually, her waiting was finally over as she heard the lock jiggle as a key was inserted. Mae turned herself to look at the door as it opened, and a weary crocodile walked in, closing the door behind her. Mae was surprised when she saw Bea, for the first time ever, in uniform. Bea wore a clean brown collared shirt with a matching pair of white slacks. The logo on the shirt seemed familiar but Mae could not pinpoint where she had seen it before.

“Oh, look who woke up. Let me guess, you just recently opened your eyes?” Bea said, reaching into her bag for what must be her cigarettes. Mae thought for a moment, unsure of how long she had been waiting for Bea to come back. She simply shrugged, and Bea made her way to her bedroom. Mae got up and looked around the apartment, now being able to see it in the light of day. Not too long after she started this Bea called from through the doorway and Mae went to see what she wanted. She stood in the hallway just beyond the doorway and motioned for Mae to follow her.

“This is the bathroom,” Bea said while pointing to two doors down the hallway, “and that is the closet.” Mae took note of this, already feeling the urge to use the bathroom coming up on her. But Bea was not finished with her impromptu tour of the relatively small apartment. She went back the other way and turned left. On the right was the doorway back into the living room/kitchenette area and on her left, were two doors.  “I’m guessing those are the bedrooms.” Mae pointed at the doors and Bea nodded and pointed at the first one.

“That is my room. You do not go in there without my permission, and you always knock before even touching the doorknob. The next room over is the spare room which we can finish preparing tomorrow.” Bea finished her sentence while turning to face Mae. The crocodile looked at her with obvious downcast, as if Mae had done something obtrusive.

            “And you aren’t sleeping in all day either. Starting Monday, you have to look for a job.” Bea finalized her statement by turning on a heel and heading for the open doorway. “Now, you’ll eat anything right?” The crocodile called from the other room. Mae jogged through the frame and saw Bea rummaging in the fridge.

            “Yeah, pretty much. Not like Possum Springs had the best food in the world.” Mae replied, approaching the kitchenette. Bea pulled out a large plastic container with pancakes in it. “Are those pancakes?”

            “Yeah, I made pancakes yesterday for breakfast and had leftover batter, so I made a bunch to eat. This is dinner.” Bea said, putting the container on the island. Mae looked at them through the foggy plastic. Blueberry pancakes. Not as good as chocolate chip but still delicious, she hoped at least. It occurred to Mae that she had never had any sort of breakfast, let alone breakfast foods, with Bea. She knew this would be a time full of firsts, but she never expected the first of those firsts to be pancakes. Regardless, that night Mae had pancakes with her best friend in proximity and remembered what led her there.

            A few months after Bea moved to Bright Harbor to follow in the footsteps of their friends, Mae found herself in a rut. No one in Possum Springs would hire her or keep her after knowing or hearing about the Andy Cullen incident and she had no one left in that town besides her parents. Of course, the only option in her mind was to move out of town but she didn’t have the money to go out on her own. Not wanting to be a weight on Gregg and Angus in fear of straining their relationship, she looked to her only other friend. She messaged Bea online about it and at first Bea was hesitant, but Mae spun words. Saying things like “You’re gonna find it hard to cope living on your own” and “Something good can work” Bea eventually agreed to let Mae move in with her.

            Mae found herself on the couch at the end of that evening, having already said goodnight to Bea. After being told that she would be being woken up at nine in the morning, she could not afford to stay up late. She closed her eyes and waited for sleep to come. In the meantime she recalled how Bea had acted when she first came back to Possum Springs two years ago, she was glad that she didn’t seem so distant now. She seemed annoyed, but Mae could tell that under that dark façade of makeup, Bea was glad to have Mae around. As sleep slowly engulfed her, she swore that she would work hard to not let Bea down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is based on the song Something Good Can Work by TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxu02vp_Vm0
> 
> When looking for songs to inspire the first chapter I found this gem, an upbeat catchy tune that told a story a person and their female associate who is being told that they can work out something good for her. I felt like this would be a good first chapter as something good gets worked out for both Mae and Bea, even though they don't realize it yet.


	3. Glad You Came

                The morning sun once again assaulted Mae’s eyes and normally she would roll over and fall back asleep. This, however, was not the case as not too long after she rolled over, she heard a door open and shuffling scales make their way into the main room. The shuffling made its way towards the kitchenette and the sound of an opening freezer followed. Curious, Mae waited, face buried in the back of the couch. Plastic crinkling came from the other side of the room and not too long afterward Mae was struck by something very cold.

                “Get up Mae, we got things to do,” Bea called groggily. Mae arched her back and rolled over to see a bag of frozen peas on the floor. Who wakes someone up like that Mae asked herself, not allowed of course as she didn’t want an answer from her roommate. She groaned and swung her legs off the couch before standing up to stretch.

                “This girl is going to be so happy when she can sleep in a real bed. Your couch is killer, and not the good kind.” Mae said while cracking her neck. She heard Bea snort behind her and the sound of liquid being poured. Reaching down and wincing a bit at the cold, Mae grabbed the bag of peas and brought them back to their home in the freezer. Bea was busy with a glass of orange juice and didn’t notice Mae press the bag to her neck before putting it in the freezer. The croc pulled away from the sensation, obviously surprised.

“Ok, Ok I get it, no more bags of peas. I guess will have to wake you up normally.” Bea said, still recovering from the sudden cold. “Anyway, get ready. I’m going to go get dressed and then we’re going out.” Mae listened to Bea’s words and thought to herself about the idea of getting ready. She didn’t think about doing anything but put her boots on, but then again for the past few months, that’s all she’s had to do. She did pack other clothes but didn’t think she would wear them often as her current outfit was just that comfortable. But here she was in Bright Harbor, a new place with new people. Maybe she should wear something different.

Making her way to her suitcase, flipping it onto it’s back. “Alright Mae, just pick out something that doesn’t look awful like you do.” She said to herself, unzipping it carefully. Popping open the suitcase, she realized something about herself. She owns two pairs of shoes and a lot of orange shirts. It was her favorite color but when all her shirts are orange there is an issue. Paying that no more mind than she already has, she grabbed an orange long sleeve shirt and a light blue pair of jeans. Grabbing her only other pair of shoes, which were, in fact, black sneakers, she went to the bathroom to change. It didn’t take her long to switch outfits and when she came out Bea was lighting a cigarette by the door, ready to go.

Bea had on a new outfit as well, which surprised Mae until she realized she’s still wearing black tights and boots. But now she had on a formfitting long sleeve shirt and a grey cardigan. Around her neck was a deep ocean blue pendant that really matched her eyes.

“Wow Bea, you look great!” Mae said, giving out the best compliment she can make on an empty stomach. Bea looked her way and took to Mae with scrutinizing eyes. The feline could feel her eyes taking in the different outfit with questions in mind. When Bea was finished she turned to open the door.

                “You too.” The croc said and walked out the door, heading for the stairs down to the garage. Mae followed, a skip in her step that she didn’t know she had. Many questions raced her mind as she descended the blank concrete stairs and made her way into the garage. What would Bright Harbor be like? Will she happen to see Gregg or Angus? How many pillows should she get? She asked herself more of these inquiries and before she knew it she was buckled into Bea’s car, in that same spot she bawled her drunken eyes out months ago. “Alright, so here is the game plan. First, we need to stop by the café, so I can pick up some stuff from my boss. While we’re there we can get something to eat, and then it’s off to the home improvement store to get you a bed frame. Sound good?” Mae nodded in agreement and spaced out, watching the city she now called her own go by like racing shapes and flashing lights.

                “Hey, Bea, what is it like, living a life outside of Possum Springs?” Mae broke the silence without meaning to and noticed the air shift suddenly. She started to regret her actions when Bea answered in a perfectly calm voice, that gravely but smooth voice she always spoke in.

“Much better. Ever since my dad found himself enough to run the shop on his own I started saving up and damn do I not regret the lack of ice cream in the house. All that money went into the apartment, it came with furniture, so I didn’t have to shell out any extra cash and holy shit am I happy to be out of that place.” Mae thought she would answer like this, but was shocked when Bea opened her mouth again. “It’s been kind of lonely out here, but it’s better than that hell hole.”

                This took Mae back. It had left her mind that Bea had the capacity to feel lonely. Not only had it been months since the mine incident, but months since they talked about her family, about Angus or Gregg, they had only hung out every other day. In fact, she had never thought to ask how Bea was doing in the days before she left. Guilt started to build up in her heart like a fire growing and devouring her contentment. She turned to Bea, her voice caught in her throat. When Bea noticed she raised an eyebrow and Mae stammered out an apology. Bea’s eyebrow only raised higher.

                “Sorry for what? You haven’t done anything yet. Or have you…” Bea started but Mae cut her off in that frantic panic to not aggravate the situation.

                “I uh… I was thinking just now. I never thought about how you might have been feeling before you left. I felt bad cause you’re such a good friend and you must have been happy or something, but I never thought about that.” Getting the words off her shoulders was like water on her soul, putting out that raging fire of guilt. Bea look confused as ever, not too sure what Mae was going on about. She accepted the apology anyway and put her focus back on the road. Mae sat and simmered in her residual guilt until they arrived at their destination.

                It wasn’t too long until they pulled into the parking lot of a modest looking café. The establishment brandished the name Joe’s in big block lettering above the door and on the street side sign. Mae drank it all in, from the blacks and brown of the building to the poster in the window talking about their new fruity flavor shots. Bea pulled into a parking space and stopped the car. Taking one last drag of her cigarette, she unbuckled her seatbelt and threw it out the window.

                “Are you coming in with me? It won’t take long.” Bea said while opening the door, the question almost bouncing entirely off Mae’s head. She snapped out of her stupor and got out of the car, following the croc across the concrete up to the glass doors that separate the outside world from that of Joe’s. The air inside Joe’s was reminiscent of the kitchen in those middle school mornings when Mae would eat breakfast when her Dad before they both left to their respective responsibilities. Full of aromas, the most pungent one was that of freshly ground coffee beans. Mae thought to herself that whatever they do here it must be very hands-on and she could hardly believe Bea worked here.

                “Hey, Trevis I’m here for the blender!” Bea called out, getting the attention of a middle-aged goat behind the counter. His pale brown hair all messy as if he had been under large amounts of stress, which didn’t seem like recent stress as the place was mostly empty. He looked up and smiled a smile that warmed hearts and showed genuine kindness, the kind Mae expected to not see out here in the larger and modernized city of Bright Harbor. The goat, who Mae can only assume is Trevis, motioned to wait a moment and moved into the back. Mae took this time to ask Bea what was on her mind at that very moment.

                “Blender?” The question was simple but efficient and Bea looked over, fully understanding what was being asked. She breathed in deep before explaining, last nights sleep still lingering in her body even after 2 cigarettes.

                “Yeah, Trevis and I were talking about things and he brought up that the place was getting new blenders, so I could have one since I moved in recently. He’s a pretty cool guy, though he might just rot away in this café.” Bea explained, claws on her hips, waiting patiently for Trevis to come out. And they didn’t wait long as he came rushing out with a box in his hands.

                “Here it is Bea, with it’s attachments and all. If it has any issues give me a call all right?” Trevis spoke up, his accent standing out more than his appearance. Mae couldn’t place it, but he sounded like he came from across the pond. Trevis turned towards Mae and smiled. “And who is this with you, a friend?” He turned the attention away from Bea and Mae felt suddenly uncomfortable.

                “Oh, this is my friend, and now roommate, Mae. She came out from Possum Springs looking for a life if you know what I mean.” Bea responded, an actual genuine response unlike those she gave to costumers at the Ol Pickaxe. Mae waved slightly, unsure of how to react in this situation, and blasted back by the difference in character Bea showed.

                “She’s a shy one ain’t she?” Trevis said, putting a hoof on his hip and letting out a chuckle. Bea raised an eyebrow at him but soon shifted her questioning glance at Mae, who was visibly shrinking from the situation. She elbowed the feline.

                “Not usually, I don’t know what’s got her clamed up.” Bea said, her suspicious creeping up. Mae knew she had to say something and dispel the increasing weight of the situation.

“Oh, it’s nothing I’m just tired.” She threw out the words, seeming a bit too ecstatic for the current conversation and concerning Bea even more. Nevertheless, Bea did not press it further, opting to let Mae be weird than possibly embarrass herself in front of her manager. Trevis handed Bea the box, shifting its weight appropriately so that she doesn’t just drop it there and then.

                “Anyways, I’ll let you two get going, don’t wanna keep ya here the whole Saturday.” Trevis closed the conversation and turned to go back to his behind the counter. Bea stopped called out to him, telling him that they were going to get something for breakfast before they go, and next thing Mae knew, she was sitting in Bea’s car with a hot chocolate in one hand and a muffin in the other. The blender rest nicely in the creases of the back seat and Bea opened the car door to finally be on their way.

                “Alright Mae, next thing on the agenda is to go pick out a bed and have it shipped to the apartment. I only managed to save up a few hundred in the month and a half since I agreed to this, but it should be enough to get you off the couch.” Bea paused for a moment, then continued with a little-added edge to her voice. “And this is all I’m doing for you. You’re going to get a job and get anything else yourself.” Mae nodded, taking a bite out of her muffin. Blueberry, a classic for any morning breakfast. Mae enjoyed the flavor of it combined with her hot chocolate as Bea started up the car and pulled out of the parking lot. It didn’t take long before Bea spoke up, maybe a few blocks down the street.

                “So why the sudden change in personality back at Joe’s?” The croc inquired, seeking an explanation to Mae’s odd behavior. Mae stopped her sipping for a moment, to give the impression that she was thinking. She knew exactly why and didn’t have to think about it. Mae was scared. Here Bea was, building a life and writing a new story in a place where no one knew her, and Mae was scared to say the wrong things. She has never felt that feeling before, not even at that Jackie party where she royally screwed Bea’s chances at getting with one of those city guys. Mae felt that if she said the wrong thing that Trevis would think differently, or even less of Bea. Mae debated on telling Bea the truth and concluded that if anything would be normal she would have to tell her how she felt. She can’t just can’t keep stuff inside like a kid does but she needs to mature.

                “I was scared I would say something stupid.” Mae responded after what seemed like ages although to Bea it was only moments. “What if I said something that put you under a bad light or something. I don’t want to ruin this for you like I did things back in Possum Springs.” Bea didn’t take her eyes off the road, she rarely did while driving. Mae admired those little things about her and wished she could be like that, capable of being mature. Minutes passed and when Mae thought she had made the wrong choice in telling Bea, words were spoken.

                “Is this because of the Jackie party?” Mae cursed at least twelve times in her head at the question. Not only could she not read Bea’s emotions at the moment, but she seemed to know exactly what Mae was thinking. Mae told her how it was and how she felt, except this time using more words that may or may not have actually helped the explanation or been used correctly. “Mae Borowoski, you are probably the dumbest and nicest person I know. Do you know why I agreed to let you move in? It wasn’t because of those childish attempts at convincing me, it was because I thought having you out of that town would let you grow.” Bea took a breath before continuing, choosing her words carefully to articulate the emotions Mae couldn’t read. “I don’t care anymore about the impression I make here because this is who I am, I am no longer some small-town hardware store girl. You need to leave that old you behind and be a new Mae. I’m glad you came up here because Angus and Gregg made it out and so did I, so why should you be left there to burn away with that place. You deserve as much of a chance as us.”

                Mae couldn’t reply. She had expected Bea to call her dumb, she which did. But she had not expected her to be all wise and stuff. Regardless of what Mae expected, she knew that Bea was right. As much as she loves her parents they are in a burning town and she needed to get out of there. What she did there no longer matters. Andy Cullen doesn’t matter, the mines don’t matter. No, she corrected herself, not all of it is irrelevant. The times she hung out with Gregg, Angus, and Bea matter. The taco nights with Mom and Dad matter. Those are the things she should bring with her.

                “You’re effing right Bea, I can be a different person here. Why the eff should all those bad things follow me here and ruin me!” Mae exclaimed, energy filling her and bringing her to the Mae that Bea could just smile at. And that is what Bea did. Smile, a toothy smile that came with a few words.

                “I really am glad you came.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the delay, those few people who actually will see this and know what I mean. I found myself getting heavily distracted everytime I tried to write, but I won't let that get the better of me from here on out. 
> 
> This chapter is based on the song Glad You Came by The Wanted. Specifically, the Boyce Avenue acoustic cover.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rojPMESoiAA
> 
> Its inspirations lie in the gentle and easygoing nature of acoustic, along with the lyrics giving me this big weekend Saturday feeling. The gentle bits aid in giving me feelings of softness, which attribute to that last interaction between Mae and Bea.


	4. Sober Up Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mae and Bea take a walk and talk.

Mae and Bea continued the errands of that morning, picking out Mae's bed, dropping both the blender and the two boxes that would become the bed back at the apartment. At this time it was the middle of the day, as shining afternoon full of possibility. Bea decided that outside of their errands Mae didn't get to see much of the city. Dragging the smaller girl back into the car they set course for wherever.

 

“Bea, do we really need to drive everywhere. You have legs, I have legs, and these legs were made for walking.” Mae stated while putting extra emphasis on her outstretched leg. Bea looked at her for a moment, shrugged, and got out of the car. Mae did a small gesture of victory before getting out as well. The two girls started off out of the apartments garage and into the bright sunlight, one foot forward as they trekked to an unknown destination. Mae led the way mostly, bouncing along the sidewalk with Bea in tow. Mae spun around and started walking backwards.

 

“Hey Bea, have you ever noticed how different things look at night?” The question made the croc ponder. She has never thought about it and hadn't been out at night. Shaking her head, Mae turned around again to walk face forward. “Yeah, I noticed because that's the bus station.” Mae pointed at a large nondescript building. “None of this seemed familiar but now it kind of makes sense.” Mae slowed down a bit to walk alongside Bea.

 

“Mae, do you know where we're going? I was going to show you the other side of town but you suggested we walk.” Mae looked at Bea while she spoke and met her with a shrug.

 

“I'm just so used to walking places that driving is so dull. You should take shorter hours so you can get some free time.” Mae's statement made Bea look at her, not with any negativity, but with a surprised look. She shook her head to dispel such look and put back on her idle expression.

 

“I don't usually work so late, one of the guys was in the hospital for something and had to call out so Trevis asked me if I would work late with him to cover. The man has a real dedication to that place.” Bea finished speaking just as Mae's eyes caught attention to a park, not a big one but a smaller one with paths and benches and plenty of shade. She steered her body towards the park and Bea followed her leader.

 

The two walked for a while along the paths of the small park, passing by joggers and dog walkers, both talking about different things as they came to mind. Before long Bea was asking to take a smoke break at one of the benches. Mae of course obliged and took her seat next to the smoker. She swung her feet in constant motion while thinking to herself, the silence of the smoke break enough to break the mind of even Angus.

 

“You know something I realized when I came out here Mae?” Bea spoke out, and Mae looked at her, meeting her gaze. “Growing up in Possum Springs made me numb. It's like I got drunk off of responsibility and lost my ability to feel. Today has been sobering in a way.” Bea's words warmed Mae, and she didn't know why. Maybe it was the confession or maybe it was Bea's choice of words. Mae smiled at Bea, who rolled her eyes at such an idiotic smile. “Alright lets head home, we can order chinese or something.” Bea got up and started home, and Mae paused slightly before following.

 

Mae thought to herself that if her presence so far has made Bea feel this much better, then she will try her hardest to help Bea 'sober up' and have fun. That was her game plan. To help her friend feel something again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that after being gone for so long this chapter so SO SHORT. But this is mainly a connection between the last chapter and the next one that I'm writing which will be the longest I've written for this site. It's also to say "hey I haven't forgotten about this.  
> I'm not going to bore you all with the details but when I started work on this chapter my laptop kind of started dying. It was a pain to get files off it onto a new one. Afterwards, I ran into so much stuff in both my personal life and in school that kept me from ever sitting down and writing. I never once forgot about this and the promise I made to myself to finish this fic. Recently I promised someone who commented that I would put out a chapter "next week" but never did and I've been sitting with guilt at having made a promise and not keeping it. I'm sorry. But now I'm back and on track.
> 
> This chapter is based off the song Sober Up by AJR - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyOvkps473o


	5. Sober Up Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mae has a job interview.

A few days had passed since Mae made her promise to help Bea feel something. Those days had been a bit hard on her however, as she had not only had to put together her bed frame but she started applying for jobs. At first, she thought this would be a piece of cake in today's society. With all the internet job boards available she will find one quick. Or that's what she thought. But here she was, a few days in, twenty plus applications put out and not a single email or call. Was there something wrong with her applications? Or was she simply that hopeless? Did a college degree really make that much of a difference in the working world? She laid on her new bed and simply thought to herself when she heard the sound of a door opening. Bounding off the bed and into the living room she saw her favorite crocodile with the hints of a smile on her face.  
"Hey Bea! Is that a smile I see?" Mae teased the crocodile and she leaned forward and put on her most smug face. Bea shook her head and rolled her eyes as she made her way to the couch as she dropped herself onto it.  
"Yes, I got a pay raise today so I'm feeling pretty good. How is the job search going?" Mae recoiled at the question, unable to give Bea a satisfying answer. She brought scratched the back of her head. Mae explained how she hasn't heard from any of the businesses she applied to online. Bea shook her head and set her bag on the floor. "You should try applying in person." Bea said, pulling a lollipop out of her bag and taking it out of its plastic. Mae thought about that for a few moments before she remembered something. Something she had seen on the job board online, a place that wanted you to apply in person.  
"Bea could you drive me to go apply to a place in person?" Bea raised an eyebrow but shrugged, grabbing onto her bag and pulling her keys out. Mae followed Bea into her car and told her the place. Together they hunted the business down and pulled into the parking lot. In front of them stood a large plain building with a sign on it that said LightningMail. A shipping company that wanted people to apply in person, Mae thought this might be her chance to get a job. She got out of the car and looked at Bea who sat in the car and motioned her along. Mea took a deep breath and headed up to the front door.  
Mae walked in and there was a female bear at the desk. She looked up when Mae entered and asked what she could do for her.  
"I'm here to apply for a job." Mae said, her voice low. The woman nodded, picked up a packet of papers and motioned for Mae to follow her. She led Mae into a conference room and set the packet on the table with a pen.  
"Fill this out and Brandon will be here in a moment." The woman said before leaving the room. Mae started working on the packet of papers, which was an application. She didn't know how long she was there but she had finished the application before anyone had shown up. Finally, a man who looked a lot like her dad if he was say 20 years younger came in and sat down opposite of her.  
"Hello, I'm Brandon." He introduced himself and she introduced herself. From there, it was a blur. A lot of words were thrown around that she couldn't quite catch but she did catch a few things. They were going to have her take a drug test and return the results within the next three days. The job was early morning. And lastly, she wouldn't have any set hours. Mae shook his hand and left with some paperwork and a head full of info. She returned to the car in which her roommate and friend was waiting. Getting in she looked at Bea before buckling up.  
"So how'd it go?" Bea inquired as she pulled out of her parking space. Mae told her all she could recall and Bea nodded at the appropriate times. This process was familiar to her after all. "So tomorrow we'll go down to the place they want you to go and have you tested. I'm proud of you Mae, you're taking your first steps in the right direction." Bea's words bounced off Mae as she came to and realized that she just had her first job interview since she started the job hunting process. All the way home Mae thought to herself that she might finally be sobering up from her childish ways. And this made her feel good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This song is also based on Sober Up, but not just Sober Up. It is also based on my own experience in obtaining my first job. While not a true story word by word it is so heavily inspired by it. A short chapter to continue the idea of Mae and Bea "sobering up" in their own ways.

**Author's Note:**

> Each chapter/couple of chapters will be based on songs. The notes at the end of each chapter will contain a link to the song and maybe some note on how it inspired the chapter's events.
> 
> This pilot is based on Ground by Assemblage 23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfyek7ah9H0  
> When I listened to this song with the night in the woods characters on my mind, Mae instantly came to thought. I feel like this song, every last lyric, fits her to a T. And so I was inspired to write this short piece on how she has grown regardless of her derealization.


End file.
